TEMPE \u2013\u00a0 For the first time since 2022, and the first time under coach Megan Bartlett, Arizona State softball is headed to a super regional to take on the University of Texas in Austin.<\/p>\n
Bats continue to heat up for the Sun Devils after finishing the regular season on a high note, sweeping BYU on the road, extending their winning streak to nine and claiming the Big 12 title. It is ASU\u2019s fourth conference title in program history.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’ve been saying the Devils are getting hot, and we got hot at the right time of the season,\u201d junior first baseman Katie Chester said about heading into Friday\u2019s game. \u201cWe know we\u2019re the underdog so we have nothing to lose. We just go in and play how we play, and that’s why we’ve been winning all the games we have.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although ASU hasn\u2019t faced the Longhorns since 2022, Bartlett is all too familiar with the Texas squad.<\/p>\n
Before taking over as the eighth head coach in ASU softball history, Bartlett served as an assistant coach for the Longhorns alongside current coach Mike White and was part of the staff when Texas advanced to the Women\u2019s College World Series her last season with the team in 2022.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhitey and I have a great relationship, and he’s a mentor of mine,\u201d Bartlett said after morning practice Wednesday. \u201cIt’s all love, but don’t get me wrong, I want to hop right over him into Oklahoma City.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reflecting on her time with Texas, Bartlett had nothing but praise for White.<\/p>\n
\u201cMike taught me a lot about roster management and how to compete at a really high level,\u201d Bartlett said. \u201cThe man is a master tactician, so I just tried to soak in everything I could in the two years I was there and tried to be as valuable to him as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although Bartlett is familiar with this Texas team, some things have changed since she was around.<\/p>\n
In 2024, Texas moved from the Big 12 Conference to the SEC.<\/p>\n
Going into this weekend, the Sun Devils are not only focused on getting momentum going but preparing for the atmosphere of a notoriously loud SEC crowd.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s definitely going to be loud, just like it was at A&M, \u201cChester said. \u201cIt\u2019s SEC ball, their fans are big on them. It’s gonna be really fun, we just got to shut it out and zone into ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another unique challenge that the Sun Devils will have to face in Longhorns territory is the outfield seating that brings fans closer to the action.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe crowd’s tough,\u201d Bartlett said. \u201cThey are very engaged. It’s very loud. That’s a very proud place and a very proud program.\u201d<\/p>\n
Even with the challenge of facing a highly-seeded Texas team, the Sun Devils are embracing the underdog role, as five of their last nine wins have been considered upsets, defeating higher ranked opponents.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u201cWe’re going to throw everything we have at them, but if I was him, I wouldn’t want to see us coming,\u201d Bartlett said. \u201cWe’ve got talent, we’ve got momentum and the girls have a lot of belief that we can get to Oklahoma City right now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Going into the weekend, there is one thing left for Bartlett\u2019s crew to do.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust kind of being dogs out there,\u201d redshirt senior shortstop Brooklyn Ulrich said. \u201cJust going after it, and pushing their defense, pushing their offense to be better than us.\u201d<\/p>\n
With a trip to Oklahoma City and a national championship on the line, Bartlett will return to Austin but this time hoping to surge past the team she once helped build.<\/p>\n
\u201cArizona State’s back, and we’re going to continue to do nothing but get better,\u201d Bartlett said.<\/p>\n
ASU will take on Texas in Game 1 of the best-of-three series at 6 p.m. MST Friday.<\/p>\n
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\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFamiliar territory: ASU softball, coach Megan Bartlett head to Austin for super regional<\/p>\n
Adnan Alam, Cronkite News
\nMay 21, 2026<\/p>\n
TEMPE \u2013\u00a0 For the first time since 2022, and the first time under coach Megan Bartlett, Arizona State softball is headed to a super regional to take on the University of Texas in Austin.<\/p>\n
Bats continue to heat up for the Sun Devils after finishing the regular season on a high note, sweeping BYU on the road, extending their winning streak to nine and claiming the Big 12 title. It is ASU\u2019s fourth conference title in program history.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’ve been saying the Devils are getting hot, and we got hot at the right time of the season,\u201d junior first baseman Katie Chester said about heading into Friday\u2019s game. \u201cWe know we\u2019re the underdog so we have nothing to lose. We just go in and play how we play, and that’s why we’ve been winning all the games we have.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although ASU hasn\u2019t faced the Longhorns since 2022, Bartlett is all too familiar with the Texas squad.<\/p>\n
Before taking over as the eighth head coach in ASU softball history, Bartlett served as an assistant coach for the Longhorns alongside current coach Mike White and was part of the staff when Texas advanced to the Women\u2019s College World Series her last season with the team in 2022.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhitey and I have a great relationship, and he’s a mentor of mine,\u201d Bartlett said after morning practice Wednesday. \u201cIt’s all love, but don’t get me wrong, I want to hop right over him into Oklahoma City.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reflecting on her time with Texas, Bartlett had nothing but praise for White.<\/p>\n
\u201cMike taught me a lot about roster management and how to compete at a really high level,\u201d Bartlett said. \u201cThe man is a master tactician, so I just tried to soak in everything I could in the two years I was there and tried to be as valuable to him as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although Bartlett is familiar with this Texas team, some things have changed since she was around.<\/p>\n
In 2024, Texas moved from the Big 12 Conference to the SEC.<\/p>\n
Going into this weekend, the Sun Devils are not only focused on getting momentum going but preparing for the atmosphere of a notoriously loud SEC crowd.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s definitely going to be loud, just like it was at A&M, \u201cChester said. \u201cIt\u2019s SEC ball, their fans are big on them. It’s gonna be really fun, we just got to shut it out and zone into ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another unique challenge that the Sun Devils will have to face in Longhorns territory is the outfield seating that brings fans closer to the action.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe crowd’s tough,\u201d Bartlett said. \u201cThey are very engaged. It’s very loud. That’s a very proud place and a very proud program.\u201d<\/p>\n
Even with the challenge of facing a highly-seeded Texas team, the Sun Devils are embracing the underdog role, as five of their last nine wins have been considered upsets, defeating higher ranked opponents.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u201cWe’re going to throw everything we have at them, but if I was him, I wouldn’t want to see us coming,\u201d Bartlett said. \u201cWe’ve got talent, we’ve got momentum and the girls have a lot of belief that we can get to Oklahoma City right now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Going into the weekend, there is one thing left for Bartlett\u2019s crew to do.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust kind of being dogs out there,\u201d redshirt senior shortstop Brooklyn Ulrich said. \u201cJust going after it, and pushing their defense, pushing their offense to be better than us.\u201d<\/p>\n
With a trip to Oklahoma City and a national championship on the line, Bartlett will return to Austin but this time hoping to surge past the team she once helped build.<\/p>\n
\u201cArizona State’s back, and we’re going to continue to do nothing but get better,\u201d Bartlett said.<\/p>\n
ASU will take on Texas in Game 1 of the best-of-three series at 6 p.m. MST Friday.<\/p>\n
This article first appeared on Cronkite News and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.<\/p>\n
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